


accidents happen

by funkyspacegirlfriend



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28701363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funkyspacegirlfriend/pseuds/funkyspacegirlfriend
Summary: Bucky's always known his boyfriend was an accident waiting to happen
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson
Comments: 19
Kudos: 110
Collections: Winteriron Winter Stockings 2020





	accidents happen

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [WhiteIronWolf (adoctoraday)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/adoctoraday/pseuds/WhiteIronWolf) in the [winteriron_winter_stockings_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/winteriron_winter_stockings_2020) collection. 



> Prompt: college au, lab accidents

Bucky’s pretty sure he isn’t breathing as he rushes into the ER. Rhodey had called him… had it only been twenty minutes ago? It feels like it could have been seconds or hours ago. And all he’d said was that there’d been an accident in the robotics lab and he needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

If he’d had the brain power to actually stop and catalog his reactions, he might have said his heart stopped. Or it might have started going so fast that it nearly exploded. But all he could do after that phone call was grab his coat and shoes and keys in a fog, and drive with single-minded focus straight to the hospital.

He’s barely in the doors, doesn’t even make it all the way to the check in desk before he hears his name. His head whips around, Pepper’s red hair easy to spot from across the lobby. She’s sitting next to Rhodey, her face pale and brown eyes red rimmed. Steve sits across from her, one of Sam’s arms thrown over his shoulder. It’s likely the only thing holding his best friend’s skinny frame in the seat. No doubt he’s tried several times to jump up and start demanding answers from the hospital staff.

Unsurprisingly, there’s no sign of Tony’s parents. The most they’d probably even acknowledge this incident was to pay the hospital bill.

Bucky makes his way over and sits down next to Pepper, who reaches out with her free hand. He takes it without hesitation, clinging to it with both of his own. He’s come to realize over a year of dating Tony why his boyfriend loves her so much. Her quiet, calm presence is always reassuring, no matter what’s happening. And it’s especially welcome now, as they all wait for an update on Tony’s condition.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Pepper tips her head to the side to rest on his shoulder, and Bucky is able to meet Rhodey’s eyes. He has to clear his throat a few times before he can speak, fear drying out his voice.

“What… what happened?”

Rhodey sighs, slumping back against his chair without letting go of Pepper’s other hand.

“I don’t know. I was on my way back to the lab with coffee for both of us when I heard a boom. There was smoke everywhere when I got inside and… Tony was on the floor. Campus security was right behind me, and then the EMTs right after. I didn’t stop to ask questions, just followed the ambulance.”

The mental image of Tony, burned and bruised and bleeding, lying on the cold floor of the lab, made Bucky sick to his stomach. For a minute, his stomach rolled and he was sure he was gonna actually be sick, but Steve’s foot nudging against his own broke him out of the spiral. He looked up, and the blonde flashed him a gentle smile.

“He’s gonna be okay, Buck. You know better than anybody that Tony’s way tougher than that.”

Bucky took a couple deep breaths and tried to return Steve’s smile before turning back to Rhodey.

“Has anybody said anything yet? Any update?”

Across from them, Sam sits up and shakes his head.

“We got here right before you, and Rhodes said they’d just rushed him straight back. Said they’d give us an update just as soon as—”

Before Sam can finish speaking, the doors open up and a nurse comes out with a clipboard. She looks around for a moment, then heads their way when she sees them and gives them a soft smile.

“For Tony Stark?”

Five heads nod in unison, and the older woman’s smile gets a little brighter as she glances down at her clipboard.

“Your friend’s gonna be just fine. Some cuts and bruises, and a broken arm. But the doctor’s most concerned about the concussion, so we’re gonna keep him overnight for observation, just to be safe. We’re waiting for a room right now, but one of you can go back and sit with him. He’d probably be happy for the company.”

Bucky opens his mouth to suggest Rhodey should be the one to go, but Pepper beats him to the punch.

“Bucky’ll go. I know Tony’s gonna want to see him more than any of us.”

Everyone else agrees, making it hard for him to argue. So he slowly gets out of the chair, following the nurse back through the doors and down the hallway. The rooms back here are all curtained off, rather than having their own doors like they do up on the actual floors, and most of them are open and empty. The nurse leads him to the far end, stopping at the second to last curtain on the right.

“He’s on some pretty good painkillers, so he’ll probably be a little loopy. But he was awake a few minutes ago. Go ahead and sit with him, talk to him even if his eyes are closed. I’ll be at the nurses’ station if you need anything.”

She pats him on the arm and walks away, leaving Bucky to stare at the closed curtain. He takes a breath, then gently pushes it aside and stops in the doorway. The sight before him makes his heart seize up in his chest for the second time that day.

Tony’s small. It’s one of things Bucky loves about him. Their height difference is one of the first things that attracted Bucky to the brunette. But seeing him like this is something completely different. He looks tiny in the hospital bed, hooked up to machines with a cast on his arm. His normally golden skin is pale, and Bucky can see several shallow cuts on his face.

“Are you just going to stand there like the world’s sexiest shadow, or are you going to actually come in and sit with me?”

The raspy voice startles him, and Bucky’s eyes snap to Tony’s. Half-lidded brown eyes stare back at him, and as per usual, he’s helpless against their pull. He’s across the small room in a second, and sinks into the chair beside the bed.

“H-hey, doll. How, um… how are you feeling?”

Tony shifts in the bed, and groans a little.

“Like the engine I was working on exploded a teeny bit and rocket-propelled me across the lab.”

It’s Bucky’s turn to groan, and he drops his head until his forehead is pressed against the bed.

“ _ Jesus _ , Tony.”

Above him, he hears Tony chuckle and then feels gentle fingers in his hair.

“Aw, come on babe, you know what they say. You gotta blow stuff up to figure out how  _ not _ to blow them up.”

Bucky sits up so quick it makes him a little dizzy, though it doesn’t stop him from pinning his boyfriend with a glare. But that just makes Tony giggle harder.

“Oh, come on. It’s not like I did it on purpose!” His eyebrows wiggle, and the smile on his face turns a little mischievous. “Or maybe I did it so my hunky boyfriend would have to take care of me. Who’s to say?”

The glare on Bucky’s face intensifies, and he pulls away from his boyfriend to lean back in the chair and cross his arms. His eyes fix on a point on the wall.

“It’s not a  _ joke _ , Tony. Jesus christ! Do you know what I would have done if something really serious had happened to you? I don’t even wanna think about it!”

Tony tries to sit up, but it makes his head hurt and he drops back onto the bed with a whimper. So he reaches out a hand for Bucky and wiggles his fingers until his boyfriend takes it.

“Hey. Bucky, hey. I’m ok, honest. I had worse injuries as a kid when my dad would… well, you know. I promise, I’m not going anywhere. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

Bucky finally meets Tony’s gaze again, and he brings the brunette’s hand up to his mouth so he can kiss the knuckles.

“Good. Cuz I’m not done with you yet, Tony Stark. You’re gonna be stuck with me a good long while, if I have anything to say about that.”

Tony flashes him a dopey smile and squeezes Bucky’s fingers.

“I think I can live with that.”


End file.
